Bulls Abroad: Kemar Lawrence called to Jamaica squad for Peru friendly

The surprise call-up in Theodore Whitmore's 20-man Jamaica men's national team squad to play Peru on June 13 was arguably Jermaine "Teddy" Johnson - a well-traveled goal-scorer approaching his 37th birthday. But Johnson has enjoyed a productive season in front of goal for Tivoli Gardens in the Red Stripe Premier League this season, and coach Whitmore has spent a lot of his time recently looking at Jamaica-based players in a succession of national team training camps.

Johnson is one of nine Jamaica-based players in the 20-man squad traveling to Peru this weekend. The rest of the roster is drawn from that part of the player pool based in MLS and USL (and the TT Pro League - goalkeeper Ryan Thompson is still technically attached to Trinidad's Central FC). Among the US-based contingent is New York Red Bulls' Kemar Lawrence.

Travel to and from Peru for a game to be played on June 13 would seem to almost certainly rule Lawrence out of playing any role for RBNY in its forthcoming US Open Cup match against NYC FC on June 14. The first team's usual stand-in left back - Justin Bilyeu - played 90 minutes at center-back for NYRB II on June 11, so might not be penciled in for his usual role deputizing for an absent Lawrence with the first team.

Looking ahead, Jamaica also has Caribbean Cup matches coming up on June 22 and June 25 - but those games fall outside the FIFA-mandated windows for international matches and the Reggae Boyz are expected to contest that tournament with a mostly Jamaica-based squad. Lawrence is expected to play a role in Jamaica's Gold Cup campaign in July, but should be around for RBNY's MLS regular-season games in June. The Red Bulls are next in MLS action on June 18, against Philadelphia Union.